Friday, August 23, 2013Akron General is latest system to plan major mergerOther headlines: Medicaid proposal could cut benefits for thousands; Judge postpones decision on Haslam depositionby WKSU's JEFF ST. CLAIR

Reporter / HostJeff St. Clair

Medicaid proposal could cut benefits for thousands

Judge postpones decision on Haslam deposition

Abuse victim pushes for change in delivering protective orders

Body struck by cars on I-71 identified

Doctors amazed at ‘dead’ man’s recovery

Akron General is latest system to plan major mergerThe wave of consolidation in the hospital industry has overtaken another local system.

Akron General Health System will be bought by Nashville-based Community Health Systems partnering with the Cleveland Clinic in a deal announced Thursday.

Community Health Systems operates 135 hospitals in 29 states. In the new plan Akron General will convert to a for-profit hospital and operate as an affiliate of the Cleveland Clinic, but will retain its name.

The acquisition comes amid a flurry of hospital mergers - more than a 1,000 hospitals changed hands nationwide last year. The flurry is in response to falling Medicare and Medicaid payments from the federal government, and new efficiencies mandated by the upcoming Affordable Care Act.

Earlier this year, Summa inked a deal with Cincinnati-based Catholic Health Partners. That agreement is awaiting final approval from Bishop Richard Lennon from the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.

Medicaid proposal could cut benefits for thousandsEfforts by Governor John Kasich to expand Ohio’s Medicaid program have been blocked by fellow Republicans in the legislature. Now a proposal to reduce eligibility for the tax-funded health insurance program is being introduced.

Clermon County Republican John Becker is crafting a plan to cut Medicaid benefits to low income women, parents, and disabled workers.

The Plain Dealer reports the judge yesterday announced that parties will meet the second week of September to talk about how to proceed with the case.

Seven former Pilot employees have so far pleaded guilty to fraud charges in the government's investigation into claims that Pilot cheated customers.

Abuse victim pushes for change in delivering protective ordersA domestic violence victim is urging Ohio legislators to change a state law so abusers don't have to be physically served with a protective order before being charged with violations.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports 29-year-old Andrea Metil seeks the change because of the impact of an April ruling by the Ohio Supreme Court. The 4-3 decision said prosecutors must show a defendant has been served with a civil protection order before any alleged violations occurred.

Metil said a criminal case against her husband for repeated violations of a protective order has been dropped because of the ruling. He was aware of the order but it hadn't been physically served on him.

The Ohio Domestic Violence Network would like Ohio law to require "actual notice," whether verbal or written.

Body struck by cars on I-71 identifiedAuthorities have identified the body that was repeatedly run over on a major highway in Ohio's capital city.

Columbus Police on Thursday said the remains are those of 22-year-old Jessica Lynn Nichols.

Travelers on Wednesday reported seeing the body on Interstate 71 north of downtown Columbus. That prompted police to close several miles of northbound I-71 during the morning commute.

Media outlets have reported that multiple drivers contacted police saying they thought they might have hit the body.

It is still unclear how the Columbus woman died. Police are trying to determine whether Nichols died before being hit by a vehicle.

Doctors amazed at ‘dead’ man’s recoverySouthwest Ohio doctors say they're stunned by a man who revived 45 minutes after his heart stopped beating and he was declared dead.

Doctors say presumed-dead diesel mechanic Tony Yahle was being prepared by nurses to be seen by his family when he began to show signs of life. They say he fully awoke at the hospital five days later.

The 37-year-old West Carrollton resident's cardiologist, Dr. Raja Nazir, says he's been a topic of discussion among doctors.

The Dayton Daily News on Tuesday reported teenager Lawrence Yahle says he spoke to his father as he lay dead and told him he wasn't going to die that day.

The teen says his father revived shortly after. He says he "went from hopeless to hope in an instant."